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Today, SwiftKey is pushing an update out to their users that promises a set of new features along with some needed bug fixes. Keyboards can be awkward to use if you are not right-handed and the SwiftKey team feels your pain. In this latest update, they have included new left-handed options for those who need them.

Once installed, this new update allows users to switch the number pad to the left or right side for ease of use. In addition to this, SwiftKey has responded to bug reports from their users and patched a few annoying ones with this update. Updating to future versions of SwiftKey will not lose your language customization and the all important “$” symbol has been returned to users who had lost it previously. Can’t type out how much “$WAG” you have without it.

The update is already rolling out to many users now, but if you do not have it yet, sit tight for that staged rollout to get to you.

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Not having control over the space bar keeps sending me back to Swype. It just seems better imo.
I can’t even begin to “complain” about anyt other aspects of the app because nothing else comes close to being as annoying.
Yeah, I know, real simple, just don’t hit the space bar, aka re-learn everything I know about typing (for my mobile only…)

Don

I’m still waiting for a “voice input” activation key that you can find and tap easily. I’m surprised they haven’t clued in to how much voice is used and how needlessly cumbersome it is to use it in Swiftkey. Tap and hold tiny key??? Like this is a rarely used function. Otherwise a fan.

Stevennnnnnnnn

Still no Pinyin?

Ray Gray

This will save time for my short left handed life span

rutgersjaffo

Said it before and I will say it again…I do not get the love for Swiftkey. I have given it three prolonged tries and went back to Swype. Meh, to each their own I guess…

I am aware of this, keyboard switcher shows on any third party keyboard. Not just Swiftkey.

Chris

You guys need to do your research before posting such a ridiculous story. Before todays update they switch the number keys around. moved them to the right where they have been on the left prior to that update (since launch maybe)

I’m right handed and prefer the number keys on the right. I have a 4.7″ phone and decent sized hands. my hand can go anywhere on the screen with one handed use.

Plus side, at least on the dark keyboard theme (Charcol and green) the numbers are now color coded rather then plain white

Lucky Armpit

Love Swiftkey, but the bug of the bottom part of the keyboard being hidden in apps that have the 3-dot menu selection on the bottom still remains. I’ve reported it to them yet again. That being said, the Google keyboard seems amateur-ish compared to Swiftkey. Love it.

John Galt

About time they gave us an option to remove the right-hander training wheels. Too bad you poor righties can’t adjust to our superior leftness. ;-P

bionicwaffle

?!?!? It’s not exactly new and it’s not a left-handed option. I’m right handed and prefer the numaric keypad on the left. The reason I know I prefer it is because it was that way before the last update and since then it really annoys me on the right.

I still wish they would at least give us an option to have the inverted T arrow keys back. That was so nice!

Chris

Same here. I’m glad they returned the feature that should have never been switched in the first place!

bboyairwreck

I really would like the ability to add arrow keys on the TOP. I love the arrow keys and become very helpful but I miss having the arrow keys on the top kinda like the Swype preloaded on the Droid Bionic

Chris King

What happened to droidlife site

Chris King

How do you look at past post

tu3218

I like Swiftkey but until they put a dedicated mic button on the keyboard, I’ll stick to Google Keyboard.

mustbepbs

I used Google Keyboard for an honest month. It’s just not as good at spell checking as SwiftKey. I’m a super fast, fairly inaccurate typist on mobile devices. SwiftKey has been the only keyboard over the years that has been able to keep up with my typos.

That, and Google Keyboard doesn’t do spell checking in the URL bar when you’re searching.

bionicwaffle

It’s there, and it’s been there for a long time. You need to touch and hold but I use it regularly. You may need to turn it on in the settings.

tu3218

Right, but I don’t want to have to hold it for you come up. Just my preference. I could try and adjust to it but I don’t have any issues with Google Keyboard and all I have to do is tap it once.

Chris

It takes like 1-2 seconds for it to come up. are you really that lazy?

tu3218

I’m not lazy, but when I can just hit it once and immediately start speaking, it’s better than having to hold it. It’s more that I’m just to use to hitting it once and that’s it. Seems I’m taking a step backwards by having to hold it in, and look at the screen to find when it’s ready.

Chris

you look at the screen to press the button….

tu3218

goddamn dude it’s just my preference. Let it go and move on with your life. I’m not gonna sit here an argue about pressing a button vs holding in a button lol

don

don’t be an i*** reform yourself and pay attention to what 3218 is saying. many people express this opinion.

Carlyle C. Wilson

I didn’t by the Swiftkey App but i did have the Beta and I must say I do like/love Swiftkey over a close Google Keyboard and Flesky. I will be buying the Swiftkey App soon.

mustbepbs

I thought left handed people were all killed off years ago?

Freaks.

tharealoc

Studies show that they tend to die earlier (chainsaws are made for righties and whatnot ) yet they some how continue to reproduce…

Bigwavedave25

Ha, lefties rule the world… Deal.

Silver Veloz

Hey….Leave us lefties alone. Ha Ha!

MrDivaNYC

KMA

viewthis66

i’m still waiting on a dedicated top row for numbers.

Bigwavedave25

Me too, for now a long-press duration down around 175-200ms does the trick.

bionicwaffle

I much prefer the numeric keypad. Besides not taking up vertical screen real estate I can type numbers faster than when they’re across the top. Have you tried it much? You might like it:) Try the option with it on the left. I didn’t like it on the right. I wouldn’t think it would matter that much but it did for me. I like it much better on the left.

viewthis66

Thanks for the suggestion. I tried it but it’s not getting it done. I have the Note 3 with plenty of room. I want that top row.

tharealoc

I’d kind of like swiftkey to add redesigned layouts. I love their prediction, but hate the look of the keyboard. I have been using Fleksy for a while now because the keyboard just feels better, even if there isn’t much in terms of prediction.

Chris

You can change the theme. Some of the themes add a flat look while a few add a gloss like button fell.

tharealoc

I know about the themes, but if you have ever tried fleksy, the spacing and the shape of the keyboard makes all the themes on swiftkey feel cramped. What i was trying to say was i’d like to have a choice of layouts, not just looks

OldTimer

Quick question:

Back in the Froyo, Gingerbread days, you guys pushed Launcher Pro every chance you got, and were all buddy buddy with Fede, the dev. How come you guys never talk about what happened and why he abandoned Launcher Pro and his Music app. Somehow, I feel that given how much you pushed these two apps when they came out, you at least owed us some article on what happened and why Fede decided it wasn’t worth it to continue developing for Android.

We got the story on why ADW Launcher went silent for a while, and behind Anderweb’s troubles, why no follow-up on Fede and Launcher Pro?

Fede simply quit the game apparently. Didn’t really announce a retirement or anything, just vanished. We pushed the apps (more so LauncherPro) because we used them daily and loved them. We always talk up the apps we use, especially when the developers are super friendly and outgoing.

I’m super friendly and outgoing too, so type my name correctly and I’ll think about lol

OldTimer

Too bad. Given how close you guys were with him and all, I thought he had told you all the what’s, how’s and why’s…Anywho, thanks for taking the time to respond, even though this was totally random and way off topic.

Aaron

Maybe it’s just me but swiftkey doesn’t seem to be predicting what I am going to type next as well as it use to.

mustbepbs

I never even use “prediction”. The only thing I’m concerned about is the spell correction, because when I type nemsnaus I want it to know what I just tried to type.

EDIT: Which in hindsight, I guess is a sort of “prediction” because some of my typos would need a damn clairvoyant to figure out.

Droidzilla

I had an affair on Swype with SwiftKey once, but Swype and I patched things up and are now closer than ever (though I have been known to dally with Google Voice typing . . .).

EC8CH

Better have those slut fingers of yours tested.

Droidzilla

It’s better to ride without a case and just see what happens.

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